Tuesday, November 24, 2009

NaNoWriMo Day 24

[27,466 / 50,000]

That word count is nowhere near where it needs to be. So much for my early success. I'd like to make some comment about how week three "always" breaks me but the truth is that this is only the second time I've gotten to week three. The good news is that it's usually week two that breaks me so the odds are in my favor that I'll finish given these slim statistics.

I switched from novel to memoir early on in the month. The part of the memoir I'm at now is difficult to tackle. Things that I feel really strongly about either just are and therefore should not be described or reasoned, or I over describe them and get melodramatic. Essentially, I'm whining more about writing this next bit than I'm actually writing.

I've done only 1200 words in the past four days.

My next step is to go back into the middle and write more about that because I didn't get to cover all the stuff I wanted to. Then I will come back and tackle this difficult matter and hack small pieces off of it as I go.

I've already traveled back home for Thanksgiving and the cats are happily ensconced in the "kitty gym," better known as my father's house. They're having lots of fun running up and down the stairs, discovering toys they hid under furniture the last time they were here, and playing the piano when we're not watching them.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Someone Shut Palin Up

On Tuesday, Palin went on Rush Limbaugh's radio show where she suggested that Americans could "face jail time as punishment" if they don't buy insurance.

Ummm ... Yes. Of course we should bring back what is essentially debtors' prison (because 19th century Brittan is the shit) and our already overtaxed penal system would smile and take it without dropping the ball. Not to mention how that will obviously solve the soaring coast of medical care and how much drugs cost.

The Night of Writing Dangerously

Saturday, November 21, 2009

NaNoWriMo Day 21: Somewhere between an "eep!" and a "sigh"

From the Kristin Cashore NaNoWriMo Peptalk:
So, now that you've been writing for a few weeks, here's my question. Have you started to realize what you've gotten yourself into? Is the realization accompanied by a creeping sense of panic?
Yes. Yes Kristin, it has.

Read the whole pep talk here.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Resurfacing

[26,023 / 50,000]

I resurface this week just in time for the Project Runway Season 6 Finale. These are the important things in life. However the important things dissapoint when, for the first time in six seasons, I really dislike the winning designer.

They say that there are over 100,000 aps for the iPhone. That's kinda scary. How are you supposed to find the one that will help you?

Essentially, my response to everything is "I'm workin on it."

I have about 26,000 words on my NaNoNovel. This means I've broken the halfway point today! Although, if you'll look at the calendar, you'll notice that we're about four days past the halfway point of the month.

I have the week of Thanksgiving "off." This means that I will grade papers, read proposals, proofread the next issue of Third Coast, grade more essays and catch up on my NaNoProject, go to two Thanksgivings and work Black Friday in my aunt's shop. No sweat, right?

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Booyah!

From Editorial Anonymous on writers who get angry with editors for rejctions:

When you receive a rejection letter and feel your dreams being crushed, BE AWARE: it's you crushing your dreams.

That's what happens when you forget that dreams are achieved through your hard work, and not through the miraculous intervention of others.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

NaNoWriMo Kitty

Monday, November 16, 2009


Please excuse me while I go on an essay grading hiatus.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

How to Procrastinate

1. You decide the toilet needs to be cleaned. Now. It does, indeed need cleaning, but you are in the middle of writing. Writing something that was due yesterday.

2. When you go to the cupboard to retrieve the toilet cleaning materials, you discover that you are out of cleaning solution. Since the toilet needs to be cleaned now, you grab your shoes and purse and head out to the store.

3. Forty minutes later you return with cleaning solution, earrings, a 2010 calendar, flavored decaf coffee (ostensibly to help you with writing), a Christmas gift for your mother, and two frozen pizzas.

4. You scrub the toilet like it's never been scrubbed before. You feel proud, like you've accomplished something important that improves the public health.

5. Write a blog entry about this experience.

6. Repeat as necessary with other household appliances and surfaces.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Ad of the Week

[20,933 / 50,000]